The Zero Chronicles
by Cestrian86
Summary: what happens when you find that your whole life has been a lie? how do you deal with a whole new way of life?This story starts right after the events of the episode 'Hunters Moon'. my first fan-fic, please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

I have lived a long and interesting life, and now near the end, I want to pass on all that I've learned. This is a story full of unbelievable things; in fact many people will say that this cannot be a true account and that it is just a story. But remember 'truth is stranger than fiction'.

I stood on the roof of one of the many skyscrapers; my overcoat billowed and fluttered in the wind. Looking down at the city below I said to no-one in particular "_this_ is the greatest city in the world? I doubt that what I'm looking for would be here at all." To my surprise a voice behind me said "And what is it that you're looking for?" I turned and was surprised to see a young woman "who are you?" I asked. "I ask the questions here" said the woman with an air of authority. Annoyed at her rudeness I replied "the name's Wolfe, who's asking anyway?" Flashing her badge she snapped "Elisa Maza, NYPD".

"So what have I done to have the NYPD after me?" I said with a tone of indifference.

Scowling a little she said "look -I know what you've been looking for, and why you're here." Turning to hide the shock on my face I steeled my self and in a would- be, calm voice said "do you now?" What she said next was an even greater shock "Yes I do, you've been searching for Gargoyles and you've followed the rumours to New York."

Deciding to drop the act I turned and said "well, it seems that you've got me bang to rights. I suppose I'll have to give it up" I climbed over the wall to climb down the fire escape but as I did she said "wait-before you go, tell me why you've been looking for Gargoyles." With a sigh I told her of how I had been an amateur palaeontologist, working for many scientists all over the world, becoming just as good as any qualified palaeontologist. How I came to believe that some of the 'fossils' we had found weren't dinosaurs at all, but some unknown species. "For these Ideas I was shunned and so unable to find work I became a crypto –zoologist. And the rumours of Gargoyles led me here. I had hoped that I could prove to my self that I was right, that it would be enough."

Elisa looked at me curiously "so you wouldn't tell the world If you did see them?" she asked. After a slight pause I answered "look at what people do to animals like sharks and tigers, if humans fear something we attack it. If the stories I've read about gargoyles are true, Imagine what would happen if the world knew about them. No-They're better off hidden."

"What would you say if I said that I might be able to arrange for you to meet them?" she asked me. For a moment I was speechless, then finding my voice I stuttered "Y-you know Gargoyles?" she simply nodded in reply. "I would be honoured" I breathed, hardly believing what was happening. "In that case, be here tomorrow night at the same time as to-night and if they agree they will be here as well.

That morning I went to bed with the greatest sense of anticipation I had ever had.

That night, as agreed I awaited atop the same building. Glancing down at my watch thinking that perhaps they weren't coming or that I had imagined the whole encounter, I heard the door behind me open. It was Elisa "you came alone?" she questioned "yes, and with no recording equipment or weapons." I answered. "Good." "You can show yourselves guys!" she called out. Before I could ask who she was talking to, four Gargoyles walked out of the shadows. "Wolfe, I'd like to introduce you to Goliath, Brooklyn, Hudson and Lexington."

I stood silent for a moment soaking in the reality of the situation and then remembering myself I extended my hand to the one named Goliath and introduced myself "I'm Wolfe, it's a pleasure to meet you." He shook my hand and it was like an electric shock went through my body, recoiling from it I held my right hand and examined it. "What the heck was that?" I said, still smarting from the shock." look at this, I've got a burn on my hand!" Elisa took a look at my hand and said "that's no burn it looks like - no that's not possible." The one called Lexington asked "what's not possible?" frowning she said "have a look at this guys" She showed my hand to them and they were all clearly surprised. Loosing my patience I burst out "What is it! What's wrong with my hand?" The elderly Gargoyle named Hudson said "It seems your hand is turning into the same stone we do when we sleep. Take a look lad" I looked at my hand and It was fully stone, it felt like I had a bad case of pins and needles, and I couldn't move anything, I nearly shouted and then everything went black-I had fainted.

When I came to I was being carried by the younger Gargoyle, Brooklyn. "Glad to see you're awake" he said more than a little scared I cried out "you're flying! I'm going to fall!" "Gliding actually, just relax and you'll be fine." he replied. By the time we reached Castle Wyvern, Half of my body was stone. With growing horror I watched as my whole body slowly turned to stone and spread out to form a sort of cocoon around me and as the sun rose the stone crept across my face shutting me in. The next thing I knew I had awoken and somehow freed myself from the stone. I wasn't in pain but looking around, everything seemed bigger and looking down at my self I got the biggest shock of all my body had changed, it was no longer human but Gargoyle. The Gargoyles as well as some humans I had not met were staring at me with shock. "What happened to me?" I cried. As if in answer, the rubble of my cocoon began to swirl in the air and resolved itself into the head of an old man with short grey beard. "The Arch-mage!" growled Goliath. Before I could sink this weirdness in, the disembodied head began to speak "Hello Goliath, if you are hearing this message then somehow my plan has failed. But nonetheless I shall tell you it anyway merely so that you can truly appreciate my power and cunning." the head of the Arch-mage then went into a long explanation into how he sought a way to have a Gargoyle that would do his bidding and how he had hit upon the thought of "if only I could have a Gargoyle raised as a human, then he would be far easier to control." He then told of how he had found a suitable host and had cast a spell to make sure that the next time that she became pregnant, the child would be a Gargoyle but with the appearance of a Human. "After the child grew up with all the weaknesses of mankind I would use a sample of Gargoyle stone skin to trigger the transformation and then I would spend the next 20 years bending him to my will so that I might gain my revenge." As the last words echoed away and the rubble was scattered to the wind, we all stood amazed. Thinking for a moment I said "hang about, that still doesn't explain why I'm back to being a kid. I'm 22 years old! The Gargoyles exchanged meaningful looks, "Aye Lad," said Hudson with a sigh "but a 22 year old Gargoyle is the same as an 11 year old Human." "WHAT! How is that possible?" I yelled. "We do not age during our stone sleep" replied Goliath. "But I-I've never had a stone sleep!" a middle aged man with a stone hand I later knew as both Owen and Puck said "that is true but my guess is that part of the spell stopped you aging for 12 hours each day."

So this is who I really am? There's no way to reverse it?" I asked desperation seeping into my voice. Owen answered "I am afraid not- this is your real form, I can only transform into Puck to teach or protect Alexander, and turning you into a human is neither."

At that my heart sank, I was faced with the fact that all that I had ever known had been a lie and that there was no way to make it true. I was forever changed.

END OF THE FIRST CHAPTER


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II: call me Zero

I spent the next two weeks in a state of turmoil, I barely ate, rarely left my room and as the sun rose each morning, I prayed to whatever deities existed that I wouldn't turn to stone-that I would find myself human again. Finally after a fortnight of agony, I couldn't take it anymore. Something inside me snapped and I was filled with an all consuming rage. My first act was to smash the mirror above the chest-of-drawers, believing that erasing the image would restore my old self. The realisation that it was not the case drove me deeper into my madness, all self-restraint gone, I set about destroying everything in sight. I crossed out my name where ever I found it, and tore up any personal documents and photographs. Towards the dawn a kind of stillness in my mind came upon me. It seemed as though my mind could no longer process the extent of my anguish, and in that clarity I became very peaceful. As the sky began to lighten I was able to accept the truth of my new reality and as the sun burst forth above the horizon, I smiled and in my heart and mind said "I'm a gargoyle".

The next night I was able to face people and so as soon as I woke up, I went to find the others. They were all in the great hall; they were all talking in hushed tones, at my arrival they stopped and looked up, clearly unsure of what to say. Hudson was the first to speak "Good to see you lad, we thought perhaps you might never come out of hiding."

With as much courage as I could muster, I replied "thanks Hudson, it's true I had a hard time coming to terms with what I am, but now I realise that I can't change it and I'm ready to embrace it." Goliath looked down at me and said "We'd like you stay and join our clan." I considered his offer for a moment and said "thanks, but no thanks. I appreciate the offer, but I have never really been too keen on 'family'. I'll be fine on my own." Xanatos cleared his throat and said "you probably weren't aware of this as you were still sleeping after your flight here. And being holed up in your room the past fortnight, but everyone knows about gargoyles now." Not fully grasping the implications of this I said dismissively "so? What's the problem?" the others were all shocked at my devil-may-care attitude. It was Hudson who realised the cause "of course the lad doesn't understand - he doesn't know how humans see us." He explained. "Humans have always feared us, and this era is no different" explained Goliath. Elisa said "there is a group calling itself the quarrymen that exists solely to wipe out gargoyles. If they found you alone during the day they wouldn't hesitate to smash you as you slept." Finally it dawned upon me, the world was a dangerous place for a gargoyle and being young and inexperienced I needed a clan to teach and protect me.

I turned to Goliath and said "I would be honoured to join your clan." "And we are honoured to be your clan" he said putting his hand on my shoulder. "Why don't the three of you give Wolfe a gliding lesson?" he suggested to the trio. "My name isn't Wolfe." I cut in "at least not anymore, it was a name given to a human and not a gargoyle. From now on my name is Zero." "Okay lad, Zero it is then." Said Hudson, with a chuckle. We all went up to the high tower and stood on the merlons of the battlements. The trio all gave me tips on how to glide "remember, you're not flying you're gliding so don't jump and start flapping your wings." Brooklyn Cautioned. "Just feel for the wind currents" said Broadway "and lookout for buildings and quarrymen" Lexington warned. "Guys you're giving him too much to think about, just let him learn on his own, my rookery brothers and sisters and I did." Said Angela. I smiled nervously at her and said "thanks" "Okay Zero, just watch what we do and try to do the same" said Brooklyn all three of them jumped off into the void and spread their wings and then Angela and Goliath followed. I looked over to Hudson, seeking assurance He nodded and so I flexed my wings, and jumped into the sky and to my great surprise and pleasure I caught the wind, it was an exhilarating feeling. The wind flowing through my hair, the sensation of the air on my wings was incredible! I turned a few loops and quickly joined the others. "Wow you're a quick learner!" Lexington shouted as I swept past him "always have been!" I yelled back. I settled into a lazy circle pattern over the eyrie building, Angela came beside me "I know you'd be able to do it" she said encouragingly and I spent most of night practicing and learning the finer points of gliding.

About an hour before dawn we all landed for the night. I walked over to Hudson and thanked him for his encouragement "if it wasn't for that look of confidence you gave me, I doubt I would've been able to do it." "you don't need t' thank me lad, you did all that by yourself." I thanked him again anyway and went looking for Xanatos I found him in the dining room "ah Zero, glad to see you, can I get you a coffee?" having been warned by Goliath about his past actions, I was wary but I sat down next him "thanks that would be nice." I sighed, rubbing my tired shoulders. He poured me a cup and I added sugar and milk as he regarded me over the top of his mug. Taking a sip, I leaned back and took a deep breath and said "listen David,-I can call you David can't I? We're both adults here aren't we?"

He looked incredibly dumbfounded. But he quickly recomposed himself "I'm sure that Goliath and the others have told about some of the things I've done in the past, but I wanted to let you know that my promise to him extends to you as well."

"That's reassuring" I said wryly "anyway, I'm not like the others, I'm a gargoyle who sees things from a human perspective. I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more is none." With a quizzical look he asked me "what _exactly_ are you saying?" pausing to take another drink I said "What I mean is that I understand your desire for money and power, because all humans have it and I grew up thinking I was human." He nodded and simply said "I see" continuing I said "so if you ever happen to be hatching some scheme or just have a good business venture, I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to being part of it." glancing out the window I saw it was nearly dawn and gulped down the rest of the coffee and excused myself "Sorry to cut this short but it's nearly dawn, I'll catch up with you some other night"

I went to the tower with the others and took my place on the battlements. Hudson clapped his hand on by back and said "welcome to the clan lad! You'll make a fine gargoyle I'll make sure of that" with those words we turned to stone. And for the first time since finding out that I was a gargoyle I was full of pride for whom and what I was. I am a gargoyle and you can call me Zero.

END OF CHAPTER TWO


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